Practice cold calling in an elevator. Going up? 14 strategies that will get you to the top.
Cold calling?
Door to door sales?
Dialing for dollars?
You have to establish warmth and credibility fast to make the call last.
Everyone has heard the term, in a New York Minute, and it means something different to everyone – it might mean 40 seconds or 50 seconds. To me it means fast, clear, to the point, and successful and thats what you have to do on the phone or at the door you have to win acceptance in less than a minute.
1. You need a powerful, engaging SHORT elevator pitch. It starts with a question that makes someone think and be engaged. A question that makes the prospect want to respond with an answer to lead you to the next step.
2. BUT it STARTS with your elevator entrance NOT your elevator pitch. How do you look when you enter the elevator? If you enter the elevator and your shirt is wrinkled, youre unshaven, your hair looks like you just got out of bed, you’re not standing up straight, and youre not smiling, it doesn’t matter what you say – you’ve already lost.
3. Look professional. Many of you are saying, I know that, but only women look at themselves in the mirror. Its a NY minute for them, but its a selfie-second for you. Take a selfie RIGHT NOW and ask yourself, Would I invite this person into my elevator er, home? You have to project I’m ok, Im safe, and you have to project Im a here to help.
4. Be engaging. Ask and then shut up and listen. Let them do the talking. If youre selling burglar alarms, ask if theyve ever had a break-in. If youre selling knives, ask what they like to cook. If youre selling medical solutions, ask how they currently treat patients (who may have a need for your product). The key is to ask about them and to get them to give you an emotional response that helps you.
5. Talk friendly. Think in terms of twitter characters. If its longer than 140 characters then, its probably too long. A lot of sales reps show up and immediately start with their sales pitch. Not good.
Heres the secret: Ask simple questions and then shut up and let them respond.
Heres the secret: Be humorous and different.
Heres how to create real instant (cold call) engagement:
1. Ask an engaging question.
2. Shut up.
3. Listen.
4. Take notes.
5. Ask another question
6. Repeat
6. CAUTION: Dont talk past the sale. Be aware that your sales presentation is not always about words and talking. Often times, the salesperson talks way past the sale, almost as though they are saying, Please dont buy yet, I am not finished with my presentation. SERIOUSLY!? Limiting your words forces the prospect to get involved both intellectually and emotionally.
7. MUST DO: Record yourself. Think back to your last sales presentation. What percentage of the time did you tell vs. ask? What percentage of the time did you talk vs. listen? If youre unsure, record your next one and listen to it. I guarantee it will help you improve.
8. WINNING STRATEGY: Befriend or at least be friendly to the gatekeeper. Getting past people is the wrong thought process. Youre in someones home. Make a friend at the door and he or she will lead you to the person who decides.
9. WINNING STRATEGY: Get one step closer to the sale. Think of the person at the door as the one person who opens the gate and approach them as the person who can help you. Find out as much as you can about them how they use your products or services and as they tell you things, you respond with these three words did you know we have this or did you know that and get them excited and enrolled in what you are offering.
10. WINNING STRATEGY: Get the meeting. Gatekeepers can help you they can give you information and they can get you in the door. (or throw you out the door). Find out how the decision is made. Get them to help you make the meeting with the person who decides.
You win some, you lose some. But the more you keep trying, the better chance you have at winning.
If you lost the sale, heres what to do next:
11. Choose your attitude. Im from New York where everyone complains. But no matter where you are, its easy to complain. From the bad weather, to traffic, to current events, to your personal life, its a relief to unloadbut its a burden to receive. No one likes that energy, which is why Debbie Downers dont close deals. Didnt get the sale? You need to move on, and get the next one.
12. Lose the negativity. Youre going to have people who dont want to talk to you or let you in. Its part of the job. You know that, but you cant bring negative energy from one experience into the next. I used to sell knives. I would set up a day of appointments in peoples homes and if someone didnt buy, or didnt buy what I had hoped they would, I would be upset. But I realized early on that if I took that attitude into the next sales call, I would also lose out on the next sale.
13. Find your reset button. In between sales calls press reset. It may mean sitting in your car and meditating or listening to music or calling a buddy. It may mean taking a 2 -minute walk around the block. Hit reset to positive and then go! NOTE: If youre going to take a walk around the block, make sure your Fitbit is on so you can measure your steps. Its healthy to get rejected some times.
14. Take responsibility. The easiest way to discover why youre being rejected is to record your presentation at the door and then listen to it. Find the patterns in the ones that are working. But if you dont like yourself then the customers not going to like you either.
Ive just given you some ideas, cautions, strategies and answers for the dreaded cold call. Your job is to go into someones home or call them on the phone, and turn these ideas, strategies, and answers into MONEY.
THE REALITY OF YOUR BELIEF: And the only way thats going to happen is if you deepen your self-belief, that you study attitude, that you ask creative questions, and that you engage people towards a positive ending. And that you ask for a sale.
Go make a sale!
